Automatic electrical train-stop.



PATBNTED MAY 7, 1907.

H. G. SEDGWIGK. AUTOMATIC ELECTRICAL TRAIN STOP.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 24, 1906.

5 SHB ETQ-SHBET 1..

vwenltoz t a I No. 852,627. PATENTED MAY 7, 1907. H. G. SBDGWIGK.AUTOMATIC ELECTRICAL TRAIN STOP.

AYPLIOATION FILED NOV. 24, 1905.

Witneooeo fmwf APPLIOATIONTILBD 1 10124, 1905- Jiuze l/vitnaooeo v mfimt,

attaining PATBN'I'ED MAY 7, 1907.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

No. 852,627. PATENTED MAY '7, 1907.

I H. G. SEDGWIGK.

AUTOMATIC ELECTRICAL TRAIN STOP.

APPLIOAT-ION' FILED NOV. 24, 1906.

5 SHEETS-SHEET'4.

7 or 9 1 7 Y A M D E T N B T A P K G I W G D E S G E 7 9 2 5 8 0- NvAUTOMATIC ELECTRICAL TRAIN STOP.

APPLICATION rmm NOV. 24. 1905.

a snnn'rs-snm'zw a.

Witnesses m =6 STES nnr

rib.

AUTQWH ETHC ELEGTPMCAL TRAEN STDP.

are. 852,627.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 7, 1907.

Application filed November 2%, 1905. Serial lie. 288,915.

To all whom it concern.-

Be it known that I, Hnnmr G. SEDGWICK, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of Mill Valley, county of Marin, State ofCalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAutomatic Electrical Train-Stops, of which. the following is a full andclear specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a locomotive provided withmy present improvements; Fig. 2 a detail longitudinal section of thefluid operated vent-valve; Fig. 3 a detail plan view of the piston-likevent-plug; Fig. 4 a vertical section of the locomotive showing moreparticularly the duplicatearrangement of the brushes and contacts; Fig.5 a vertical section through the mechanism for operating the vent-valveand the reversing-switch on the locomotive; Fig. 6 adiagram showing thecircuits, switches and contacts constituting one of the blocks; andFigs. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 1-1, and a series of views showingvarious applications of the invention.

These improvements have special relation to that type of train-stoppingapparatus and system covered by my co-pend1 application seriallynumbered 288,914, and filed Nov. 24, 1905 in which a valve connected tothe train-pipe of the brake mechanism is vented automatically by meanson the roadbed when the train approaches a danger point on the line, theventing of the trainpipe causing the air-brakes to be actuated in thesame manner as when vented by the engineer, with his controller-valve,for a service stop.

Inthe'present construction, as in the construction covered by theaforesaid application for patent, electrical mechanism is used foractuating the vent-valve, this mechanism being operated automatically'by the coming together of contacts carried by the locomotive andcontacts on the roadbed, a special arrangement of contacts on thelocomotive and on the roadbed and suitable circuits and switches beingemployed.

In the present apparatus, as in the one covered by my co-pendmg aplication above referred to, means are emp oyed whereby each train as itproceeds on its journey protects itself in rear as well as in front bysuc-. cessivcliy bringing into action a series of pairs 0' contacts, sothat collisions will be avoided by each train pre-empting a block orsection of the track as it proceeds.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved form ofvent-valve which may be operated by fluid pressure, either by steam fromthe locomotive or by air from the air-pipes of the brake system, as morefully hereinafter set forth.

Another object of the present invention is to provide improved meanswhereby the reversal of the direction of movement of the locomotive willautomatically cut out the brushes at oneside of thelocomotive and bringinto action the brushes at the other side, whereby the locomotive willprotect itself irrespective of the direction in which it is going.

Another object of the invention is to provide simple means whereby theautomatic stopping mechanism will be put out of action when the engineercuts out his controllervalve, this cutting out of the controller- 'valvebeing done when the engine is behind one or more engines, in which caseit is the rule to put the control of the brake ap paratus entirely inthe hands of the engineer in the first locomotive, as more fullyhereinafter set forth.

Another object of the invention is to provide a more elaboratearrangement of the roadbed contacts and circuits whereby an increase insafety is obtained, in that 1D case of derangement of any of thecircuits or switches a train will be stopped on entering that particularblock, asmore fully herein-' after set forth.

Referring to the drawings annexed by reference-characters-the letter adesignates the train-pipe of the usual air-brake mechanism; 6 the usualstorage reservoir; 0 the usual pipe leading from said reservoir to theengineers valve all and thence to the train-pipe, by which the supply ofair to the train-pipe is kept at normal pressure; 9 is a pipe connectingthe train-pipe to the engineers valve through which pipe e thetrain-pipe is vented the air esca ing through a port fin the valve inthe u ualmanner; g is a double cut-off in pipes e and c, at a pointbelow the valve (1, by means of which said valve (1 may be cut-off fromthe brake apparatus and rendered inca able of aflecting the brakemechanism. All the above parts are constructed inthe usual manner. Thecut-0d valve 9 is used to cut out the controller-valve when thelocomotive is attached to a train behind one or more precedinglocomotives, in which, case it is the rule for locomotives to cut outtheir brake-contro means completely so that the leading locomotive willhave complete control of the brake mechanism. Now, in order that'myautomatic brake mechanism shall also be cut out when the locomotive isrunning second or third, matic vent-valve h tothe' vent-pipe e by meansof a pipe '8, so that when the en ineers valve is cut out my automaticmec anism will also be rendered inactive. Thus connecting my automaticvent-valve has the further advantage that the automatic stoppingmechanisms'will be rendered inactive on all the locomotives attached tothe train except the first one, so that when the leading locomotive setsthe safety-coritacts behind it, in the manner hereinafter set forth,those active contacts will not affect theother l0c This is necessary inormotives in the train. der to prevent the air-brake mechanism frombeing automatically set by a locomotive running second or third or atthe rear end of the train.

The vent-valve shown herein consists of a cylinder 7' in whichapiston-like valve kfits and slides, this piston being provided with atrans verse slot tapering from its forward end to its rear end. Theair-pipe i connects to the cylinderj atra point 0 posite an opening Zinthe cylinder, so that when the piston k is pushed forward the taperingslot therein will put'the pipe i in communication with the opening Z andthereby vent the brake pipes. The ta pering form of the opening or slotinsures a gradual escape of the air thereby putting the brakes ongradually, in the manner of a service stop in contradistinction to anemergency application.

A spring m'normally forces the pistonback against the rear head of itscylinder and thus closes the opening Z. A pipe n connects the rear endof the cylinder with the air-pipe i, and in an extension 0 of thecylinder j is inserted a rotating plug-valve p, which when rotatedadmits air under pressure to the rear end of the cylinder and therebyactuates the piston therein. Any other fluid may be employed to actuatethe piston, as for instance steam which may be drawn from the steam-domeof the locomotive boiler. from the rear end of the cylinder to escapeand thus allow the piston to beautomatically returned to a closedposition a suitable opening or a pet-cock q may be located between therear end of the piston and the valve p.

To turn the plug-valve p I may employ any suitable mechanism, such forinstance as is shown in my former patent No. 757,571, dated April 19,1904, and this operating mechanism may be controlled magneticallysubstantially in the same manner as in my inc-pending applicationhereinbeiore referred to. In this controlling mechanism is emconneet myauto- ,ried b where y when the axle rotates it will strike To permit theair saaaar bodied an' electro-magnet rnwhich is in circuit with aipairof contactfingers s mounted on a rotatable disk twhich also carries acontact-bridge "a. The contact-fingers .s are adapted'to alternatelymake contact with insulated contacts forming" the terminals of two pairsof conductors 7)., which conductors lead to opposite sides of thelocomotive where they. are connected respectively to a pair ofinsulated'brushes w. The. bridgepiece a is adapted to alternatelycontact with two. pairs of contacts which are respectivel connected toconductors 'a; and y whic lead to duplicate pairs 01' contactbrushesz atopposite sides of thelocomotive.

This arrangement of circuits and switch is the same as in my aforesaidco-pending application, and the switch in the'present instance isshifted so as to throw the current into one set of brushes or the otherby axleoperated means instead of by means connected to thereversing-leverv of the loc0mo tive.. Depending from the shaft of theswitch-disk tis an arm A which carries a depending fingerB which has alimited Swin ing motion on said arm A and whose lower end dependsintothe path ofa tappet C carone of the axles of the locomotive,

the part B and thereby shift'the switch.

When the arm A is shifted to its limit in either direction, the finger Bfalls back into a vertical position where it hangs loosel whereby itwill permit the tappet C to free y pass it while the axle-is rotating inthe same direction but will positively engage the tappet '0 when theaxle is rotated in the opposite direction. The shifting'of this switchthrows. the current into the circuits atone side or the other of thelocomotive as inm former a plication, and the only feature claim intihis application is the means for operating it through theinstrumentality of the axle-.

With regard to the roadbed devices and circuits I employ substantiallythe same devices that are shown in my former application hereinbeforereferred to except that instead of having the safety-contacts'a normallydead or inactive means are provided in the present system whereby thesecontacts are kept normally alive or active, and another pair of contactsemployed for cutting out these normally alive contacts provided no trainis in the block, this arrangement being desirable out of abundance ofprecaution, since it will insure the automatic stopping of a train incase themechanism of the block is' out of order.

As in myformer applioation,the contacts on the roadbed are arranged inseries or groups, the safety-contacts a being arranged at the beginningof each block, the setting-contacts b" being arranged a short distanceahead of the contacts a, and the restore-contacts o seaee'z beingarranged at the end of the block; In Fig. 6 the contacts are arrangedfor asing1etrack road, one set being arranged at each side of theroadb'ed so as to-be operated by trains going in either direction. Atthe beginning of each block is conveniently placed a relay or switch-boxd preferably mounted on the usual telegraph-poles adjacent to theroadbed, and these boxes are connected by two line-wires e, f Therestore-contacts c at the end of a block and also the safety-. contactsa and the settingcontacts b at the beginning of the same block areconnected by wires to one of the relay boxes, but any other suitablearrangement of circuits may be employed.

The safety-contacts are connected by wires 9- through'a switch h to a'battery 'i, said switch being adapted tobe closed by a mag net 9' and tobe opened by a magnet is. When the switch it is closed thesafety-contacts are alive and-when the switch is open, as shown in Fig.6, the contacts are dead, that is are cut out from the battery i.

The setting-contacts b" are connected by wires Z to a battery m, onelimb of the circuit passing through the magnet of a switch n, thisswitch being preferablythe ordinary telegraph-sounder. The lower contactof this switch is'connected to ground through the battery'o and theupper contact is con-. nected to ground through a wire 1): The armaturelever, which normally bears against the upper contact, is connected by awire g. with a switch r", this switch being preferably the ordinaryrelay switch used in telegraphye The wire q passes through the magnetsof this switch and becomes the line wire f, which leads to the relay boxat the other end of the block and, connects with the com panion switchor relay 1' in that box. The relay 1", when energized, closes thecircuit t of the closing magnet j, the wires of this circuit beingconnected to the aforesaid battery m in each relay box theabove-described mechanism is duplicated, the opening magnet k beingconnected by wires u, to a relay I switch '0 and a battery w, and one ofthe Wires m of this relay being connected through the armature lever ofa. switch y and awire 2' to ground, while the other wire a of this relaygoes out of the box and becomes the line wire 2' leading to thecompanion relav switch 2) at the other end of the block. The magnet ofthe sounder-switch y is connected in circuit with battery w by the wires6 with the restore-contacts c. The lower contact of each of the switchesy is connected to ground through a battery 0 With an arrangement ofcontacts etc. such as above described it will be observed that if theswitch h is closed and the safety-contacts (1 thereby made the terminalsof the battery i, a locomotive upon entering the block will beautomatically stopped by hav its contact-brushes make contact with saidsafety contacts, since as said brushes make connection with thesafety-contacts the current from the battery 4/ will actuate the magnete and thereby vent the brake pipes, but when the battery 4 is cut outthe safety-contacts will be dead and, will have no effect on thevalve-operating mechanism on the locomotive.

' Should thesafety-contacts. be, dead the train will be permitted topass alon to the setting-contacts b. When the brushes :1 on thelocomotive pass over these contacts, said brushes being spaced apart theproper distance to make contact with both these con- 'tacts at thesametime,the battery m will be the safety-contacts a alive, therebyclosing the block at a suitable pointbehirid the-train. After closingthe circuit of magnet j the cur rent passes on through the line wire fthrough the companion relay '1 in the distant relay box'and thence downthrough the armature lever of the switch a and through 5 wire 12 toground. In passing through this latter relay switch 2* the circuitt ofthe magnet is closed, thus actuating switch it andthrowing'the-safety-contaets a at the other end of the block intocircuit of the other battery 4/, thereby protecting the train at apredetermined distance ahead of it from trains. coming in the oppositedirection.

When the train reaches the restore-contacts c, which are spaced the samedistance apart as the setting contacts l) the same brushes thatcontacted with the contactsb also make contact with these contacts 0,-thereby closing the circuit b in which is included the battery 'wand themagnet of the adjacent sounder-switch y. Thus actuating the switch ythrows the current from battery 0 up through the adjacent relay o andthence back to i the first relay box and through the companion relay 2/to ground ills through wire 2'. In passing through the first-mentionedrelay of the circuit a of wire it is closed thus opening switch 71/ inthe main branch of circuit 9' g. all the parts to their normal position,in which position the switches h will be open and all the circuits willbe open, thus avoidmgbwaste of current and enabling a single set 0atteries to last a great length of time. A g

This restores switches.

served that without material modification it may be used on doubletrackroads, where it is only necessary to protect a train against trainsgoing in the same direction.

In the system covered by my former application above referred to thesafety or danger contacts a were kept normally dead, whereas in thepresent modification of my system I provide simple means for keepingthese contacts normally alive so as to require each train as it entersthe block to make these contacts inactive before it can enter the block,provided of course thatno train has previously entered and preempted theblock. I do this by introducing a supple mental switch g which is closedby a magnet- Z which is in circuit with the setting-contacts b andswitch a through a supplemental circuit Z When this magnet l isenergized it causes the switch .9 to close a supplei'nentalv circuit gconnected to the circuit g of the safety-contacts. This switch 9 isopened automatically by an approaching train by means of a pair ofsupplemental-contacts m which precede the safety-contacts and which arein circuit with battery i and an opening; magnet n With thisarrangement' it will.

be observed that the passing of a train over setting-contacts b not onlycloses main switch it but also closes the supplemental switch g so thatthe safety-contacts can be rendered inactive only by opening both theseIt will be observed also that as the train passes over therestore-contacts c it will open only the switches h leaving the switchesg closed and the safety-contacts alive. Thus it will be observed thatbefore a train can enter a block it will have to open the switch 9through the medium of the supplemental contacts m and magnet n", beforeit can pass the safety-contacts which are of course but a short distanceahead of the supplemental-contacts. ilhis provision for keeping thesafety or danger contacts normally alive is advantageous in that if theapparatus is out of order, the train will be stopped, unless of coursethe disorder is in the supplemental circuits 9 and Z Referring to Figs.11 and 12, leading from the stopping-contacts are a pair of wires 3),which include a battery 6 and are connected to the two contacts of acircuit-closer (1*, one of these contacts being connected to a rockshafte, which in turn is connected to the semaphore by a link f With thisconstruction when the sema here-arm israised to danger the switch willbe closed thus throwing the battery into circuit with the arm carried bythe switch roadbed contacts, so that should a locomoi by the tanpet maypass tive pass over these contacts the train would i it has shifted it.

be stopped automatically through contactbrushes w '11. Thus connectingup the stopping-contacts with one of the usual forms of signals, it willbe observed that the stoppingmeans is made supplemental to thesignaldevices, so that in case the'engineer fails to see the signal orattempts to disobey the command the signal communicates to him, thetrain will be stopped automatically.

In Figs. '13 and 14 this invention is shown as applied to a drawbridge,suitable springactuated push-rods 9 being so located that when thedrawbridge is opened said rodswill automatically close the switch (1.One of these devices is used at each end of the drawbridge so that thetrack will be blocked at both sides of the drawbridge.

In Figs. 7 and 10 the invention is shown applied to aguard-fencecarrying a wire h,

j which is stretched the length of the fence in such position that itwill be displaced or ruptured in case the fence is broken by the fallingof a boulder' or any other object against the fence. The wire 72 isconnected at each ofits ends to a double switch cl, which will close thecircuit whether the wire it be broken or simply displaced or throwndown. In Fig. 9 the connecting-wire 71 is stretched along a trestle andis connected to branch wires or guys 71f, so that in case the-trestle orany part of its supports be injured or car ried away, the main wire Itwill be displaced sufliciently to close the switches (1 and thus renderthe contacts at each side of the trestle active.

It will be observed from the foregoing that this invention is adaptedfor use in connec tion with a great variety of roadbed appliances andthat therefore I do not desire to be restricted in this respect.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various mechanicalembodiments of the invention are possible and I, there fore, do not wishto be limited to the exact arrangement and construction shown.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A locomotiveequipped with air-brake apparatus embodying an engineerscontrolling-valve and a cut-off means between the same and thetrain-pipe, and an automatic venting device connected to the brakesystem at a point between the controllingvalve and the cut-oii means,said automatic venting device embodying means adapting it to be operatedonly by roadbed devices.

2. A locomotive equi ped with a brake system embodying dup icatecontacts and circuits at opposite sides of the locomotive, a switchdevice, and axle-operated means for actuating this switch deviceconsisting of a a means wherethe arm freely after 3. A locomotiveequipped with an airbrake apparatus embodying an electricallycontrolledventvalve and duplicate contactbrushes and circuits at the oppositesides of thelocomotive, a switch, an axle-operated means forautomatically shifting said switch for the purpose set forth, said meansembodying an arm depending from the switch and carrying a swingingfinger having a limited vibration, and -a tappet on the *axle.

4. In an electrical train-stoppin block system, the combination ofelectric-a ly-controlled means on the locomotive for applying thebrakes, a series of stopping-contacts on theroadbcd, means on theroadbed for keep ing these contacts normally operative. and means on theroadbed ahead of these ccntacts whereby these contacts are successivelyrendered inactive by an approaching train if the block ahead beunoccupied.

5. In combination with a locomotive carrying electrically-operatedtrain-stopping devices, of a roadbed block system each block embodying apair of stoppin -contacts and means for normally keeping these contactsactive, a pair of contacts preceding said stopping-contacts to renderthem inactive, a pair of setting-contacts ahead of the stopping-contactsto set said stoppingcontacts behind the locomotive, and a pair ofrestore-contacts and means connected therewith for restoring the partsto normal position, leaving the safety-contacts alive but subject to thecontrol of the supplemental-contacts.

- 6. In combination with a locomotive provided withelectrically-controlled train-stopping mechanism, a pair of stoppingcontacts and means connected therewith for normallykeeping them alive,said means embodying a main switch and a supplementalswitch, a pair ofpreceding supplementalcontacts and means connected therewith for openingsaid supplemental switch, a pair of se tting contacts and meansconnected therewith for closing both of said switches, and a pair ofrestore-contacts and means connected therewith for opening the mainswitch without affecting the supplemental switch. substantially as setforth.

7 A roadbed train-stopping system, comprising a stopping device normallyoperative, a device on the roadbed preceding said stop ping device andadapted to render the same inoperative, a setting device adapted toreturn said stopping device to its normally operative condition, and arestore device at the end of the block'for restoring the devices tonormal condition, substantially as set forth.

8. A train-stopping electrical system, em-

bodying a series of contacts at either side of the roadbed, constitutinga block, these de vices being arranged reversely so as to control trainsgoing in either. direction, and each series embodying a pair ofSUPPlGIIlGDtHl-COIP tacts, a pair of stopping-contacts, a pair ofsetting-contacts, a pair of restore-contacts, andelectrically-controlled means whereby the stopping-contacts are keptnormally ac tive, the supplemental-contacts renderthe stopping-contactsinactive, the setting-contacts render the stopping-contacts againactive, and the restore-contacts restore the parts to normal.

9. A roadbed block system, embodying a pair of stopping-contacts andmeans connected therewith for keeping them normally alive, these meansembodying a main switch and a supplemental switch, means on the.

' block, and electrical connections whereby the passage of a trainoverpthe setting-contacts will return the stopping-contacts to 'normalactive condition and prevent them being again rendered inactive by thesupplemental devices ahead of the stopping-contacts, and means wherebythe passage of a train over the restore-contacts will again render thestopping-contacts subject to the supplemental devices.

11. The combination with a locomotive carrying electrically-operatedtrain-stopping devices, of a roadbed'block system, each block embodyingstopping devices and elec tric means for normally keeping these stoppingdevices active, electric means preceding said stopping devices andadapted to render them inactive if an oncoming train has not alreadypreempted the preceding block, elec- Y tric setting devices beyond saidstoppin devices to set said sto ping devices behind the locomotive, ande ectric restoring devices and means connected therewith for restoringthe parts to normal position, leaving the stopping devices active andsubject to the devices for rendering them inactive.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses this 2d day of November 1905. '7

HIRAM G. SEDGWICK.

Witnesses: S. H. ROBERTS, -W. M. TRACKER.

